


My Side of the Story

by Corrie71



Series: Friends with Benefits Series [1]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Arguing, Boys Kissing, First Kiss, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Jealousy, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Memoirs, Mild Language, POV First Person, Swearing, Temporarily Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-05
Packaged: 2018-02-11 08:39:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2061456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corrie71/pseuds/Corrie71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on my story, Friends with Benefits, Bones wanted to share his side of the story...</p><p>Or, a love story in seven parts, by Doctor Leonard McCoy...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WeWillSpockYou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeWillSpockYou/gifts).



It all started with a kiss. Well, it really all started on the shuttle from Riverside, if you want to be precise about it, but, since I don’t remember a damn thing about that flight, let’s start with the kiss, shall we?

By the middle of our first year at Starfleet Academy, Jim and I’d mostly worked the kinks out of the being roommates thing. I shoulda had a single, of course, as I was a graduate student and nearly a decade older than most of the other cadets. Instead, because Jim and I signed on so late, we had to take whatever was left. We got a double in the medical dorms and that was that. Probably a good thing I got a roommate. The mood I was in when I came to the Academy, I might’ve wallowed a bit without someone there, you know?

And Jim—well, he was older than your average cadet too. He’s the type will talk to a fence post so we worked well together, him yapping away and me mostly listening. That’s the thing about Jim and me. We just fit together from that first moment on the shuttle. You ever meet somebody like that? And you’re just friends from the instant you meet? My gram used to call that kindred souls and I suppose that’s what it was with us. We were just meant to be together. 

So, seeing as I do have eyes, I noticed right away that the kid was a looker. He’s just plain and simple one of the most gorgeous men I’ve ever seen. And other people noticed pretty quickly too. Word got around how great he was in bed—though, between you and me, I think that some of the rumors must have been an exaggeration. I mean, even Jim had to sleep sometime. We hung out together most of the time we weren’t in classes so… 

Then again, we’ve been together nearly fifty years so…maybe they weren’t an exaggeration. Who knows?

By the end of our first year, I might have had a bit of a crush. But I’d probably never have done a thing about it. My divorce was so awful that I’d never even considered trying to find love again. Actually, at that point, I was pretty sure it didn’t exist at all. I was still so bitter and so angry. But, as it’d been a bit of time since the divorce by then, I’d begun to get a hankering for a bit of female—or male (I’ve never been picky)—company. 

Yep, I was horny, plain and simple. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I might’ve been older than most of the rest of campus but I was still a young man, in my prime. 

Another thing you gotta know about my Jim. I love the man, but he’s got a talent for making enemies like no one else I’ve ever seen. First off, he can’t handle any sort of injustice or bullies. We got that in common. And, when you’re top of every class, like my Jim was, well, you start attracting a lot of attention and not a little bit of jealousy. 

Back then, he had a bit of a—rivalry, I suppose you’d call it—with a cadet named Gary Mitchell. We used to call him Gary Fucking Mitchell or GFM for short. He died in the Battle of Vulcan but, before that, he and Jim just couldn’t get along. Before Jimmy showed up at the Academy, GFM was the king of the mountain. Well, it didn’t take Jimmy long to unseat him and GFM hated him for it. The feeling was completely mutual. They were always trying to get the best of each other. 

One night, right after the start of our second year, Jim bested him at some stupid intramural Parrises Square thing. I missed the game because I had a shift in medbay—which I spent worrying that Jim would show up on a holo-stretcher with a ion mallet to the head. So I was in our tiny galley kitchen, eating a late night snack of cereal, when Jim came home. 

He’d gone for a celebratory drink with his team and…I can still see him standing there, laughing, in his blue Parrises shirt, as he re-counted the match for me. Jimmy’s a good storyteller so, before long, I was laughing too. I put the bowl in the sink and when I turned back, he just grabbed the front of my scrubs and kissed me.

I mean, he planted one on me. And, right then, I knew all the rumors about what a mighty sex god Jimmy is were true. Because that kiss? Well, to use a Southern expression, it just curled my toes.

And that’s how it all started.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened after the kiss?

A gentleman never kisses and tells. When we came to our senses, right there on the kitchen floor, we both panicked a bit. I’m lying on my back on our always sticky kitchen floor, staring at the god-awful florescent light above the counter and…I feel sick, nauseated with fear and dread, sure that I’ve just completely ruined the best friendship of my entire life. 

Not because the sex wasn’t amazing. But because it _was._

But neither of us is any good at the relationship thing. And we’re friends—best friends—in addition to being roommates. _Why didn’t I consider how awkward this would be before we ended up entwined on the kitchen floor?_ Jim’s sprawled on top of me, with his heart hammering against my ribs and still breathing hard. I have no idea what to say so I stay quiet, my arms wrapped around him because I figure this is going to be my one and only chance to hold Jim Kirk in my arms. When you get ahold of someone like Jim, you don’t wanna be the first to let go.

He raises his head and looks at me for a second before giving me this shit-eating grin and a wink. “Friends with benefits, then?”

And I swallow my pride and, because I’m scared shitless of ruining our friendship, I nod. Jim crawls off me and pulls me to my feet. I felt awkward and weird, in the way you do after you’ve just had sex with someone for the first time and, in the heat of the moment, forget you’re naked. Well, at least I felt that way. Jim? He’s never been self-conscious much. 

He said, “Listen, Bones, we gotta promise to say if it gets weird or anything. Our friendship has always got to come first.”

And I nod again, grabbing my scrub pants off the top of the refrigerator and yanking them on. He smiled devilishly at me and tugged on the ties at the waistband of my pants, pulling me close. “Let’s get these off. I need a shower.”

And he took my hand and pulled me into the bathroom with him. So, just like that, we went from friends to lovers. And, I can’t lie, at first it was terrific. Somewhere near Christmas, as we took study break during exam week, I remember lying next to him in our bunks—we’d pushed them together by then—and saying how great it was to have the stress relief and regular sex without all the relationship crap. I mean, we were at each other, two, three, sometimes four times a day back then. The stamina of youth, right? I never slept with anyone else after that, not because I was being noble, but because I didn’t have the time or the strength or the energy.

I assume that Jim did continue to…uh…sleep around but, as I couldn’t bear to ask him directly, I don’t know for certain. So, like I said, for the first little while, it was great. I got to be close to my crush, enjoy frequent, creative sex, and everybody’s happy, right?

Well, not so fast….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have credited our lovely Redford with coming up with Gary Mitchell's nickname for the last chapter. GFM is her creation :-) Thanks, Redford!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Leo develops a plan...

I never much liked Valentine’s Day before I was with Jim. Now, he’d hate me telling you this but he’s a romantic. Since we’ve been officially together, he’s done some mighty amazing and creative things to celebrate all manner of occasions, especially Valentine’s Day. There was that one time, on shore leave on Risa, where Jimmy decorated our entire suite with…well, that might be a story for another time. 

I look forward to Valentine’s Day now but back then, I was still really bitter. I would’ve liked to shoot Cupid with his cute little bow and arrows myself. One weekend at the start of February, I’m working a long, dull shift in the medbay on a Saturday afternoon, stocking supplies and taking inventory since we didn’t have any patients to care for. Starfleet is big on keeping all hands busy at all times. I’m working with my favorite nurse, Dave, that day. He and I worked together a lot. He was probably the closest thing that I had to a friend at work back then.

“Got any big plans for Valentine’s, Doctor M? I saw you with your boyfriend in the cafeteria the other day. He’s cute.” 

Now, it’s a good thing I liked David because I probably would have blistered anyone else’s ears. But, David Peters was a good nurse, sweet and caring with the patients and fiercely competent with the medical stuff. I even wrote him a letter of recommendation for med school before that crazy bastard Romulan came along. Dave was on the Farragut that day so he never got the chance to go to med school. But, back then, we were still a year away from that fate and I was busy being lovesick over Jim.

“He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my roommate.” 

“Leo, come on, if you’re not fucking that guy, I’m a Vulcan.” 

Maybe it was just a blue moon or maybe I just really needed someone to talk to, someone to confide in, because the whole sordid tale tumbled out. 

“So, when did you realize that you wanted more?” He asked when I was done.

“I never said I wanted more. I’m perfectly happy with the way things are.” 

“You are the world’s worst liar. Those arrangements only work if no messy emotions are involved. Since you’re in love with Jim Kirk, you’ve got a problem.”

“I’m not in love with him…” I was lying. I’d known that I was in love with Jim for a while by then, possibly even before we started our beneficial arrangement. But, what would someone as marvelous as Jim Kirk want with a broken down, near alcoholic, aviaphobic old country doctor? I didn’t stand a chance with Jim and I knew it. Friends with benefits was the best I could hope for, my only chance to be close to Jim, to pretend like we were together…for however long it lasted. I knew it couldn't be much longer before Jimmy would be bored with me. 

“Like you haven’t been in love with him for ages. Everything with you is Jim this and Jim that.” Heat crept up my neck at his words and I rummaged through the nearest supply cabinet just so I wouldn’t have to look Dave in the face. “We already did that cabinet. Leo, you’ve gotta fight fire with fire.”

“What does that even mean?”

“Everyone knows Kirk’s reputation. That boy gets anything he wants just by batting his baby blues. You need to be the shiny thing that he can’t have. That he has to work for. That’s the way to play for keeps.”

“I’m not sure Jim’s interested in playing for keeps…”

Dave patted my shoulder and said, “Doc, I saw you all eye-fucking in the lunch room. He’s interested. Trust me.”


	4. Chapter 4

Looking back, I could claim it was all Dave’s fault. He certainly came up with most of the plan or the harebrained scheme as I called it. It was a huge gamble and I could have lost it all, big time. 

That night, when I got back to the dorm, Jim was ready to go out for a night of drinks and dancing at his favorite bar, the Purple Squirrel. I’d gotten used to the Squirrel by then but it wasn’t really my kind of place. Far too loud and far too young. But Jim loves to dance. He and Miss Gaila used to own the dance floor there. I’d long gotten tired of playing wingman but I also didn’t want to stay home alone so I went with Jim to the bar. I took refuge on my favorite barstool and stared down at my drink, still considering my long conversation with Dave that afternoon.

Though I can play a mean game of poker, I’ve never been much of a gambler. It’s too much uncertainty, too much risk for me. Still, Dave’s words echoed in my head. I nursed two bourbons while I was there and started on my third, still debating what to do. As I sipped my third drink, I glanced up, watching in the mirror behind the bar as Jim and Gaila twirled around the floor.

And, much as I liked Miss Gaila, I didn’t much like sharing Jim. Just like that, enough was enough. I comm-ed Dave and caught him just as his shift ended. About ten minutes later, he showed up, still wearing his green medbay scrubs. 

“Sorry to bother you, Dave. I’ve changed my mind.” 

“No way. Kiss me.” I demurred again but he insisted. “I did not come to this dive on a cold February night for nothing. I want a kiss from the famous Doctor McCoy. Come on, Leo, he’s looking over here. Do it!”

And, so I did. 

As kisses go, it wasn’t awful but it was nothing to the experience of kissing Jim. With my eyelids just cracked open, I peeked at Jim’s reaction in the mirror behind the bar. I cupped Dave’s cheek in my hand to tilt his head out of the way, hoping we looked convincing. Jim stood stock still in the middle of the dance floor, flashing lights turning his blonde hair green, gaping at us, as he helped Miss Gaila to her feet. Dave shoved his tongue in my mouth and wrapped his arms around my neck. I struggled to keep kissing him and watch Jim at the same time. 

Jim pushed his way through the dance floor to make his way back the bar. I’d have ended the kiss then but Dave grabbed the back of my head and pressed up against me, using his free hand to grab my ass. Jim downed his drink and then mine before throwing a handful of credits on the bar and after staring at us some more, headed out the door. I pushed away from Dave, swiping my mouth on my sleeve. Miss Gaila walked up to us, saving me from a rather awkward moment. 

“What are you up to, Doctor? And who is your friend?” Dave nearly swallowed his tongue when he saw the skimpily dressed Orion. I wanted to go after Jim but thought to give the plan maximum effectiveness that I should give him a few minutes to stew in his own juices. Dave, either because he couldn’t keep a secret or because Miss Gaila really turned on the charm, blurted out the whole scheme. To my surprise, Gaila clapped her hands together and chuckled.

“Finally! I wondered if you two would ever make a move. You must let me help!”


	5. Chapter 5

I left Gaila and David at the bar, still scheming merrily, and walked slowly home through the damp, foggy, cold night. Exhilaration and fear churned through me in equal measure. I’d rolled the dice. Now let’s see how they landed.

I got back to the dorm to find Jim lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Jim’s more of a kinetic person. If he’s still and quiet, well, then he’s gone into thinking mode. That’s the moment you’d best just watch out because trouble is just around the corner.

“Hey kid, where’d ya go?” I greeted him easily, toeing off my shoes and flopping down on my side of the bunk. He raised his head and scowled. I think he learned that expression from me. 

Instead of answering, Jim crawled over into my lap. He straddled me, all limber grace and pouty attitude. Other than helping him keep his balance, I waited to see what he’d do. It was excruciating not to just up and babble out the whole plan but I remembered my long range goals here and kept my peace. 

Well, as to what happens next, like I said, gentlemen don’t kiss and tell. But, let me just tell you this, angry sex with my Jimmy—well, it’s almost worth fightin’ with the kid to get rewarded like that. 

After it was over, Jim flopped down next to me in the narrow bed, just catching his breath. I sat up and looked down at him, with his self-satisfied smirk. Well, he had a reason to be so satisfied with himself. We always were electric together. 

“What was that about, kid? Didn’t manage to score at the bar?” I taunted him, though I knew full well that it was my extended kiss with Dave that drove Jim into a jealous frenzy. 

“You complaining?” Satisfied, Jim stretched like a lazy cat, showing off his muscled arms and tanned torso to his best advantage. My Jim, he’s like a peacock sometimes. He smiled and winked at me. I just shook my head before heading toward our tiny bathroom. “Hey, you didn’t introduce me to your friend.”

I stopped dead. Good thing I had my back to him as I couldn’t stop the smile that burst over my face. I knew his natural curiosity would get him! I just knew it. I said, as casually as I could manage, “That’s just Dave.”

“Dave?” 

“Friend from the medbay.” I shrugged and headed into the bathroom. I even managed to shut the door before I celebrated my victory.


	6. Chapter 6

That weekend, I drew the overnight shift on Sunday. Always the worst way to start the week. I was already exhausted by the time I got to my first class. Just after sunrise on Monday morning, I stumbled back to my dorm, hoping for a quick catnap before beginning the weekly grind. 

“Morning, Bones. How was your shift?” Jim greeted me with a nearly unforgivable level of cheer. The love of my life is a morning person. Always something, right? 

“Started out alright then had to treat the overflow from a twenty hover-car pile upon the bridge. Damn idiots, driven’ around in all this fog…” 

When I was still mid-sentence, Jim cupped my cheek and kissed me, slow and deep. It was one of those holo-vid kisses--the perfect kind that you only get a few of in your whole lifetime. No matter how dog-tired I was, I wrapped my arms around Jim and hung on for the ride. Jim broke the kiss, grinning like the Cheshire cat. _Peacock._ He leaned close and nipped my ear before trailing kisses down my neck. By then, my Jim knew all my special spots and he was never shy about using his knowledge in all sorts of deliciously creative ways. He got to the collar of my shirt and froze. 

“Are you wearing perfume?” He leaned back so he could see my face.

I flushed, having forgotten about Miss Gaila's helpful addition the scheme in the chaos of the medbay coping with a Bay Bridge accident. The night before, she'd shown up to have dinner with Dave and me and to go over her new ideas for our ridiculous scheme. She'd spritzed me with her roommate's perfume, insisting that Jim's sensitivity to smell would lead him to the obvious, if erroneous, conclusion that I'd been with a woman. I swallowed and used the line she'd given me. “Must be Diana?”

“Who is Diana?” Jim asked, before shoving me away. I missed his warmth and tried to pull him closer but he just stepped back, his face set and closed.

“I met her at the medbay.” I rubbed the back of my neck, flushing harder. Dave was right. I'm a terrible liar. I parroted what Gaila told me to say, “We…uh…used one of the empty treatment rooms last night before the accident…um…interrupted us.” 

Jim sucked air through his teeth. I watched the color drain from his face. I nearly backed down right then. Only the thought of having to confess everything to Jim stopped me. _In for a penny..._

“You’re angry.” I scrunched up my face, trying to pretend confusion. “Why are…”

“I’m not angry.” Jim shrugged, turning toward his desk. Now Jimmy was the one who was lying.

“So this friends with benefits thing we’ve got going…are you the only one who gets to go have fun? I’m supposed to sit at home and wait for you to gift me with your cock whenever the mood strikes?” I crossed my arms over my chest, scowling at him. I tried to remind myself of Gaila and David's advice... _cruel to be kind, the cure is sometimes worse than the disease..._ Still I felt awful hurting Jimmy. 

He raked his hands through his golden hair, my sunshine boy. I loved him so much, from the moment I met him. I ached to pull him into my arms. _Maybe I should just confess my feelings and see..._

“Nevermind. I gotta get to class.” Jim scooped up his PADD and walked out. His first class wasn’t for two hours yet. Praying that Dave and Gaila were right about Jim, I collapsed on the bunk and fell into a dreamless sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

All the next week, Gaila and Dave spent their time taking turns talking me down from the ledge. Once I told them about his reaction to the Diana ruse, they became even more convinced that we were on the right track. They seemed to have become fast friends, probably with benefits. After our argument on Monday morning, Jim was so sweet to me all week long, I worried he'd cottoned on to the plan. It's not easy trying to get away with something with a master tactician like James Tiberius Kirk. Looking back, I think he didn't figure it out because he had so little experience with relationships and love. 

On Friday, I worked a late shift at the medbay and got home just before midnight. It'd been a boring night, enlivened only by Miss Gaila's mid-shift arrival. She told me that Jim chose to end their beneficial arrangement and she wished us every happiness. Then she pulled Dave into an empty treatment room and I didn't seem them for the rest of my shift. 

When I got home, Jim'd set the mood by cleaning up the apartment, lowering the lights, and playing my favorite old jazz tunes. _Maybe Gaila was right? I didn't want to get my hopes up._ He smiled at me before crossing the room to kiss me sweetly. Now, before my Jim came to the Academy, he did a variety of odd jobs, one of which was as a masseuse. Let me tell you, that talent's turned out to be a real treat over the years. 

As I've mentioned, gentlemen don't kiss and tell. All I will say is that night, things were very different from our usual frantic pace. My Jim, such a romantic. After...well, just after, Jim snuggled up against me and I wrapped my arms around him. We'd never cuddled before and I reveled in it for a bit, snug and secure and happy in his arms. 

“Bones, I don’t want to be friends with benefits anymore.”

Time just stopped. I froze, not really feeling the agony of losing Jim yet, in the first few seconds. I'd gambled...

...and I lost it all. I started to shift away, wondering if we could at least save the friendship somehow...

“No—I mean, I don’t want to just be that.” Jim raised his head, his blue eyes huge in his face. 

“What do you want, Jimmy?” I croaked out, my throat tight with unshed tears.

"Same thing I've always wanted." Jim stared at me, chewing on his lower lip. "You."

I let out a shaky sigh as joy and relief flashed through me. “Well, darlin,’ if that’s what you want, you better ask me out to dinner first.”

“Is that…do you want..too?”

I beamed at him before yanking him close for a deep kiss. Jim broke away to ask.

“What about Dave and Diana?” 

“They’re good friends…but not with benefits.” I tried to pull Jim close for another kiss but he stopped me with a warm palm on my chest.

“Bones…you…on purpose…set me up.” 

“You’re not the only genius on campus, darlin.” I laughed and flipped him over in the bed. At long last, Jim was really mine. All mine. I cuddled him close and I've never let go since, not in fifty happy years together. And, to think, it all started with a kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so delighted my little drabble, Friends with Benefits, got such a great reaction. As I was writing that story, I was extremely frustrated at how closed-mouth Bones was, as that is all in Jim's POV. Well, yesterday, Bones showed up with a story to tell...Hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Also, this is my first time writing so extensively in first person so, please let me know how you like it. 
> 
> As always, I must thank my fabulous writing friend, WeWillSpockYou who really helped me brainstorm this story, especially helping me to discover Bones and Jim's motivations here. A few times throughout this 7 part story, I've used exact quotes from WeWillSpockYou and my brainstorming sessions. She is the best and, if you haven't already, you should go check out all her stories, especially Middle Earth. You're in for a treat!


End file.
